The Legal 500 Green Guide: Latin America 2024

The firm’s ESG and sustainability group is co-led by Florencia Heredia who is also head of the firm’s natural resources and energy practice. Heredia is chair of the Section of Energy, Environment, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure Law Section (SEERIL) of the IBA and an active participant in the IBA’s Task Force on Climate Change, Justice and Human Rights. She also created the Climate Change Exchange Network in conjunction with the University of Dundee.

A team led by Heredia is providing ESG advice to Allkem Limited in the development of one of the most important lithium projects in Argentina, Sal de Vida, which is projected to produce 15ktpa of predominately battery grade lithium carbonate. The firm has expert knowledge on the role of the lithium industry in facilitating the green transition, and has contirbuted to several publications on the topic.

In the lead-up to COP27, ESG and sustainability team co-head María Morena Del Río, supported by senior associate Martín Alejo Prieto, collaborated closely with with Sustentabilidad sin Fronteras foundation to assess Argentine climate change legislation, regulations and bills, identifying areas for improvement.

In collaboration with Hogan Lovells, the firm has participated in the development of the Argentine chapter of the ESG Global Vision Tool which aims to give a breakdown of all ESG-related laws, regulations and voluntary standards per jurdisdiction.

In a further demonstration of its commitment to sustainability, the firm has also been paperless since 2021.

In the renewable energy sector, the firm advised Enel Green Power, who possess an 81 MW hydroelectric portfolio in Costa Rica, on regulatory issues and assisted in arbitration with the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) concerning the client’s PPA. For Planta Hidroeléctrica El Ángel, Raúl Guevara advised on the setting of electricity rates, the potential renegotiation of the PPA with the ICE, and on the establishment of a new PPA with proposed corporate off-takers.  

The firm represented renewables developer Generación Solar Fotovoltaica Juanilama in negotiations on the design, construction, commissioning, and lease-operation of the Juanilama PV plant. It also advised on the financing of the project, undertaken by the government of Japan under the JCM of the Paris Agreement, through which the plant will generate carbon credits which help offset Japan’s GHG emissions. 

In a matter helping finance local environmental protection, the firm is assisting Intrinsic Exchange Group with the legal feasibility and policy implications of converting the ecosystems within Costa Rica’s state-owned Wildlife Protected Areas into titles that can be capitalised in a world-first Natural Asset Company, which is to then be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. 

Having compiled a carbon footprint reduction inventory since 2014 and having occupied LEED-certified offices since 2017, the firm continues to educate its staff and enact policies concerning green procurement and the reduction of waste, water, and electricity consumption in order to mitigate the impact of climate change. Verifying its internal commitments across environmental management, energy efficiency, and sustainable supply-chains, the firm’s operations were awarded the Bandera Azul standard. The firm also supported Bandera Azul on the development of its new code on biodiversity. 

Alejandro Cofiño leads on innovative mandates across green and sustainable finance. For renewable energy producer CMI Energía, the firm acted as local counsel on a $700m green bond issuance and $300m refinancing. Marking one of the largest green bond investments in Central America, the bond’s proceeds will help finance renewable energy, green buildings, and clean transportation projects. 

In another financial sector highlight, the firm advised Citigroup Global Markets, J.P. Morgan Securities, and Scotia Capital as purchasers of the $1.1bn senior sustainability notes offered by The Central America Bottling Corporation. With the interest rate of the notes tied to the issuer reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and waste, the deal will support the green transition of Guatemalan industry. 

A key client is Cova Energy, the energy traders representing McDonald’s Guatemala, whom the firm advised in its PPA to purchase renewable electricity from Enel Green Power. Through the PPA, McDonald’s Guatemala will be powered by 17.52GWh/year of green electricity, provided by Enel’s hydroelectric plants. The firm has further expertise advising on renewable energy projects, with clients including green hydrogen company Hidrogene de France and solar producer Neoen.

In an ongoing matter which helps protect local Caoba trees and preserve the manatee population, the firm is assisting Guatemala’s National Council for Protected Areas with the purchase and possession of land in a tropical natural reserve area. 

The firm is keen to foster an active engagement on the green transition among its staff, devising campaigns concerning water conservation, waste reduction, recycling, and the protection of local ecosystems such as the Maya Biosphere Reserve. 

In an ongoing matter, the firm is advising Trina Solar on the grid connections, environmental licences, and social consultations for its Campano, San Felipe, and Cartago renewable energy projects. For renewable energy developer Solargreen, the firm provided legal support in drafting and negotiating an agreement for the 100 MW Bosqueros Solares de los Llanos PV farm to share overlapping land with a natural gas field; the firm assisted with negotiations, the grid connection procedure, and in securing environmental licences. 

The firm is in the process of widening its engagement with the green transition by broadening its sustainability work. A pertinent client is Teca Colombia, whom the firm is assisting in the development of a 200-hectare forestry project and timberland mill, which will provide offset credits for voluntary carbon markets.  

For non-profit think-tank Alcentro, where the firm’s partners serve one-fifth of their hours, founding partner Juan José Angulo acts as director of the energy transition, sharing knowledge and addressing milestones concerning the renewable energy sector. Angulo is also a member of the board of renewable energy association Ser Colombia, on whose behalf the firm defended the constitutionality of the quota which requires that energy market traders purchase at least 8% of their electricity from non-conventional sources. 

Having already implemented a remote-working policy that has halved its energy consumption, the firm is currently measuring its carbon footprint and designing a net-zero carbon path to be introduced in the next fiscal year. 

In the biodiversity space, a key client is environmental NGO Fundecor, which seeks to conserve and enhance the value of Costa Rica’s tropical forests. The firm is advising the client on the creation of contracts for the generation of forestry NFTs, whose sale will help finance vital conservation activities. Following the deal, the firm was awarded one of the resulting ‘Biota’ NFTs, which corresponds to the environmental services the forest provides within a year. 

Demonstrating expertise in green finance, the firm represented Liberty Costa Rica as issuer and IDB Invest as sustainability advisor in the structuring of a $400m sustainability-linked bond. The bond, itself financing stronger digital infrastructure in Costa Rica, will push the client to curtail its direct and indirect emissions alongside reducing the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions per operating unit.  

Julio Castellanos, a key contact for renewable energy financings, advised Citigroup Global Markets and J.P. Morgan Securities on the $700m secured notes issuance by renewable energy holding company Investment Energy Resources. The firm also advised IDB Invest on a $20m facility provided to solar power developer Soventix, helping finance the delivery of PV plants, battery energy storage systems, and interconnection facilities across Latin America.  

Alongside being certified as carbon neutral by the Costa Rican government, the firm received the Bandera Azul certification for its ongoing efforts to reduce its waste, water usage, and energy consumption. As a member of the Business Alliance for Development, the firm helps boost Costa Rica’s economy through strengthening local consciousness of climate action, eco-efficiency, and sustainable offerings.  

El Salvador

The El Salvador office of regional business law firm BLP has expertise advising clients on the financing and development of innovative social programmes and leading green energy transition projects. 

In a pioneering matter, the firm provided transactional advice to IDB Invest for the first issuance of sustainability bonds in El Salvador. Within the deal, the client purchased the first $20m tranche of a five-year $100m sustainability bond issuance programme, which will help finance Banco Promerica’s renewable energy, clean transportation, sustainable agriculture, energy efficiency, and social access projects. 

Mariana Nochez also advised IDB Invest on its $25m senior loan to American Industrial Park; the financing will facilitate the installation of rooftop solar panels to meet the complex’s internal electricity demand and generate 7.7 MWh of clean energy annually. Within the power sector, Zygmunt Brett is a further leading contact, with experience advising on contractual, regulatory, and fiscal issues in the generation of renewable energy. 

The San Salvador office contributes to the firm’s regional sustainability strategy through its participation in the Costa Rica-led Bandera Azul initiative, which awards the firm an annual certification for its ongoing commitment to reducing waste, water usage, and energy consumption.

Pro bono advice is crucial to the firm’s sustainability offering. The firm is a signatory to the Vance Center Pro Bono Declaration of the Americas and makes a significant contribution to social and environmental projects across the region. In 2022, it dedicated over 3600 hours of free legal advice to clients across Central America.

Guatemala

From Guatemala, regional business law firm BLP specialises in assisting international clients to promote the decarbonisation of local industry, with key matters concerning the adoption of sustainable agriculture techniques and the development of both environmentally conscious forestry and waste-to-energy projects. 

For key regional client IDB Invest, the firm advised on a $70m senior loan to agribusiness Pantaleon Sugar Holdings. The loan will support the borrower’s sustainable operations targets through financing the implementation of green projects, including the delivery of climate-smart investments and practices, and the increase to the cogeneration capacity and ethanol production capacity of the borrower’s sugarcane bagasse power facility. 

Another major client is renewable energy developer EOS Organisation, for whom the firm provided corporate advice on the creation of a waste-to-energy plant which will receive waste from local municipalities before selling the generated energy back to the municipalities. The $50m project is instrumental in decarbonising Guatemala’s energy supply while supporting the country in finding a more sustainable use for its waste. 

The Guatemala City office, within the firm’s regional sustainability strategy, participates in the Costa Rica-led Bandera Azul initiative, receiving the certification for its efforts to reduce its waste, water usage, and energy consumption annually. Across the Central America region, the firm’s pro bono programme – which takes on clients in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – is currently assisting over one hundred NGOs.

Honduras

From its Honduras offices, regional business law firm BLP has a significant presence assisting notable clients in the biofuels, wind, solar, and hydroelectric power sectors on the local green energy transition. 

In a $700m matter, the firm is assisting San Marcos Wind Energy SPV with the development of a 118 MW wind energy project. Karla Aguilar is presently handling land-use, environmental, and community impact processes for the project, which will be one of the largest renewable energy sources in the country.

A key client in the renewable energy sector is Celsia, whom the firm advised on the obtaining of environmental licenses, procurement of equipment and materials, and in the securing of tax benefits for its renewable electricity generation and transmission projects. The firm is also assisting the client with its strategy for the construction and operation of solar self-generation projects installed at Honduran factories.

Further promoting the development of clean electricity in Honduras, the firm is advising the El Tornillito hydroelectric project on environmental compliance and on the financing which will expand the plant’s capacity to 200 MW.

Supporting the decarbonisation of Honduran industry, the firm is also representing key regional client IDB Invest on the $40m financial package and sustainability advisory services offered to local textile groups. The firm’s engagement assists the client in developing net-zero strategies, identifying potential greenhouse gas mitigation activities, and planning emissions compensation measures for the project’s corporate targets.

The firm’s own sustainability strategy includes a regional alignment to the Costa Rica-led Bandera Azul certification, which has involved the Honduran offices making ongoing efforts to reduce waste, water usage, and energy consumption annually. 

Leveraging the financial expertise within its ESG and Impact Investing practice, the firm is acting for infrastructure development bank Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional on a COP$800bn sustainable bond issuance, which will be used to finance or refinance sustainable projects which pursue the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Supporting the decarbonisation of Colombia’s energy mix and green transition of the local economy, the firm also advised Enel Colombia on a COP$9trn issuance and placement programme, which will be used to finance or refinance sustainable projects.  

Within the solar power sector, managing partner César Felipe Rodríguez acted as local counsel for PV developer Solarpack Colombia regarding the financing granted by IDB Invest and Bancolombia for the operation of the 99.99 MW La Mata and 80 MW La Unión plants. Another key client is AES Colombia, whom the firm advised on the COP$227.5bn financing provided to develop the Brisas Solar Park.  

Furthering the decarbonisation of Bogotá’s transportation system, the firm also assisted AMP Capital Investors- and Enel Colombia-owned concessionaires Fontibón and Usme with the Green Loan Principles-compliant $68m financing provided by international development banks to replace the Transmilenio bus fleet with electric buses. 

As the first Colombian law firm to join the US-based Law Firm Sustainability Network (LFSN), the firm is keen to implement and verify sustainable management practices, having coordinated a taskforce to measure its existing environmental baselines and create an ESG strategy to better pursue its decarbonisation goals. Following its internal sustainability efforts, the firm was awarded the LFSN’s ALISS Bronze standard.

A current client is the Mendoza River Water Fund, a conservation initiative led by the Nature Conservancy with the aim of protecting and restoring the Mendoza river basin. José María Bazan is advising the fund on the design and drafting of a collaboration agreement needed for the legal structure of the project.

The team also supports Vista Energy in its net zero ambition for 2026, which includes both carbon offsetting and developing its own nature-based solutions (NBS) portfolio to remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

The energy practice is active in facilitating the development of renewable energy projects in the country, such as providing counsel to Envision Energy on its entry into the Argentinian market, including the construction and operation of its first two local wind projects.

The firm also assists with the design, drafting, and implementation of supply chain ESG compliance guidelines for various clients including Minerva Foods, applying forward-thinking rules in comparison to the region.

The firm’s sustainability commission oversees internal ESG policies, including everyday measures such as recycling and energy-efficient practices, and conducts the Business Impact Assessment process as part of the firm’s longer-term goal to become a certified B-Corporation. In June 2022, the firm organised “Bruchou Impact June” including various awareness-raising activities regarding sustainability and environmental care for the office and the community.

The corporate and commercial practice frequently assist clients with transactions linked to green energies and net zero economies; Josefina Yávar leads the team advising Acciona Energía Chile on a cooperation agreement with Blue Lines to acquire and develop the first offshore wind farms in the country. The group also provided legal counsel to Edgeconnex Chile on a purchase agreement with Enel to supply renewable energy. Notably, the firm is actively engaged with clients developing green hydrogen projects and infrastructure in Chile.

The finance team is experienced in supporting clients’ access to financings and investments based on ESG compliance.  Macarena Ravinet led advice to Inversiones CMPC on entering into a $500m sustainability-linked loan and also on placing corporate green bonds valued at $250m. Regulatory and environmental-focused work includes representing VFS Chile in the tender process for providing a mixed fleet of conventional and electric buses for the public transport system of Santiago City.

Co-heads of the firm’s environment group, Julio Recordon and Manuel José Barros, assisted ProREP with the constitution of the first collective management system for industrial packaging in the context of Law No. 20,920 for the Management of Waste, Extended Liability of the Producer and Promotion of Recycling in the country. This included obtaining authorisations from the Ministry of Environment.

The firm frequently advises financial entities promoting a positive environmental impact, such as providing legal advice to Banca Ética on the incorporation and design of its corporate structure. The firm is also a member of GSG Nab Chile which promotes impact investment and advocates for the incorporation of socio-environmental investment standards into business models.

The energy team has experience advising on renewable energy projects, including solar and wind, assisting both developers and financers. Key clients include Corporación Interamericana para el Financiamiento de Infraestructura (CIFI) which the team supported on various financings for the acquisition, construction, and operation of PV energy projects in the country. The group also has an increasing number of clients in the green hydrogen industry.

The firm is a founding member of the Fundación Pro Bono, and Gonzalo Fernández is part of its advisory board. The team has provided pro bono advice to Fundación Mi Parque for the past 15 years; the local grassroots organisation improves the quality of life in impoverished areas through a participatory process of design, construction, and activation of green areas.

Recently, in a matter led by Juan Giraldez, the firm acted for a number of leading banks in the reopening of $300m 5.25% notes issued by Movida Europe, linked to Movida’s ability to achieve a specified target reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. Giraldez also assisted the Republic of Uruguay with a multi-jurisdictional highlight involving the offering of $1.5bn 5.75% sustainability-linked bonds, the country’s first ESG-linked bond and one of the first sovereign issuances of the sort. The bonds’ targets include achieving a reduction in aggregate greenhouse gas emissions in the country by 2025 compared to 1990, and maintaining or increasing the native forest area covering Uruguay’s territory by 2025 compared to 2012.

Further demonstrating its knowledge surrounding ESG and sustainability, the firm regularly contributes to thought leadership, such as Giraldez’ recent publication of a discussion on how nature affects sovereign debt. Globally, the firm’s dedicated sustainability group also regularly comments on ESG issues in the firm’s weekly Climate and the Financial Sector newsletter.

In an active effort to reduce the firm’s carbon footprint, it has formed a cross-functional working group that aims to measure emissions and set reduction targets, among other initiatives. The group previously calculated the firm’s emissions for 2019 to 2021 and used the data to develop its Climate Action Plan, which identifies future action to mitigate the firm’s carbon footprint across scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

The firm is an active member of the Law Firm Sustainability Network and the Legal Sustainability Alliance.

The ESG team advised Grupo Celanese on the environmental legal requirements pertaining to the shutdown and dismantling of a gas pipeline built by the client. The group led by Carlos de Icaza also assessed the possible rehabilitation of the industrial complex, and potential conversion into future sustainable land use.

In the sustainable finance space, the banking and finance teams are engaged with some of the most significant sustainability-linked and green financings in Mexico. The firm assisted Fibra Macquarie Mexico with the negotiation and execution of a $90m sustainability-linked loan agreement. It also acted as Mexican counsel for the same client as the borrower in a $150m sustainability-linked credit facility.

In 2018, the firm developed its Model of Social Responsibility and adopted the UN Global Compact at the centre of its strategy. This includes a pro bono programme which supports a number of environmental causes, including the World Wild Life Fund and Parley for Oceans.

In the solar power sector, a key client is Canadian energy company Potentia Renewables, whom the firm advised on the development of the 25 MW Canoa Solar Park; for the $40m project, the firm assisted with transactional due diligence and negotiations, represented the client in construction and financing agreements, and obtained necessary permits and concessions.

Also within the solar power industry, the firm provided advice to the 50 MW Powergreen Azua Project, assisting with concessions, permitting, and environmental licensing for the development of the project. Demonstrating further expertise acting for lenders in the renewable energy sector, the firm advised sustainable development financier Proparco on the financing of the 100 MW Villarpando solar project. 

In an ongoing matter, the firm is legal counsel for San Pedro BioEnergy in the development of its innovative 35 MW utility-scale biomass power plant. Aiding this $80m project, which produces power from sugarcane bagasse, the firm advised on obtaining concessions, permits, and licences for the plant’s construction and operation. 

Alongside implementing a plastic reduction and recycling initiative to promote a zero-waste culture within its office, the firm makes an active commitment to sustainable development through the contributions of its ESG practice members to thought leadership: Amauris Vasquez Disla teaches on energy and permitting for the Renewable Energy Master’s programme at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra; Nathalie Abreu Mejía sits on the board at the Dominican Republic’s Women in Renewable Energy association; and senior associate Manuel Batista Castillo lectured on electric and renewable energy laws at the Dominican Republic’s National Association of Young Lawyers and at the Punta Cana-Macao Energy Consortium. 

The firm and its clients have benefitted from the addition of environmental lawyer Carlos del Razo in February 2023, who heads up the new sustainability and environment practice. Del Razo has played a significant role in supporting the Citizen Committee of Lomas de Chapultepec which is taking legal action towards illegal uses of the legally protected Barranca de Barrilaco area; he has played a critical role in hampering the development of a specific illegal project in the canyon.

The firm has provided pro bono advice to the Academia Mexicana de Impacto Ambiental (AMIA), including the drafting of contracts and agreements with other institutions devoted to research and education in the environmental impact assessment, conservation and environmental policy.  It is also a part of the global reforestation project ECIJA Forest which has resulted in the planting of more than 200 trees.

Possessing significant experience in environmental law, manager Marco Quesada offers clients particular expertise in greenhouse gas management and environmental compliance. A key client in this area is Abbott Medical, for whom the firm created a greenhouse-gas management system and advised upon the ISO 14064-1 greenhouse gas certification. 

The practice is skilled in advising clients operating across the region on their sustainability strategies; in accordance with the GHG Protocol and ISAE 3000 standard, the firm verified the Central America Bottle Corporation’s carbon footprint across its Latin America and the Caribbean locations. 

In the financial sector, the firm advised Multibank on a sustainability strategy for its activities in Panama, assisting with local ESG issues and the potential for value-creation. Additionally, the firm prepared community bank BAC for its entrance onto the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and supported the client with sustainability training. 

The firm’s internal sustainability team pursues a three-pillared climate-mitigation strategy, focusing upon making a leading impact within the business environment, society, and local ecosystem. Helping contribute a positive difference within the local ecosystem, the firm measures and mitigates its environmental footprint across fossil fuels, water, electricity, waste management, and atmospheric pollutants, alongside following a sustainable procurement policy. 

Aligned with EY’s global, Science Based Targets Initiative-approved ambition to reach net zero in 2025, the firm is carbon negative. The firm’s environmental best practices and carbon reduction strategies have been certified in accordance with the ISO 14064-1 and Bandera Azul standards. 

In a major renewable energy mandate, the firm is providing regulatory and contractual advice to Enel Green power regarding the development, construction, and operation of the 150 MW La Loma solar park. This $126m project will be among the largest in the country, providing clean electricity to approximately 370,000 people each year. 

Supporting the expansion of Colombia’s renewable electricity capacity, practice head Juanita Hernández Vidal advised Solaer Group on the development and sale of its 100 MW Sabanalarga solar park to energy generation and commercialisation company Isagen. For the same client, the firm also assisted in the development and sale of the 80MW Bosques Solares de los Llanos 6 and 100 MW Bosques Solares de los Llanos 7 PV projects.  

The firm is active guiding leading conventional energy clients toward their green transition ambitions. For Ecopetrol, the firm advised on the implementation of a pilot green hydrogen generation project at the client’s Cartagena Refinery. The innovative $6m matter makes a significant contribution to the client’s decarbonisation objectives and supports the development of a vital green technology. 

Sharing her energy market expertise, Hernández Vidal holds non-paid lectures on a broad spectrum of renewable energy-related topics at the Universidad Externado de Colombia. Additionally, the firm publishes widely on renewable energy incentives and regulation, environmental licensing, and energy contracts for its own blog and for clients. 

Committed to reducing its environmental impact and promoting sustainability, the firm has focused on creating green value in the community by implementing energy-efficient practices, paperless operations, and sustainable transport, while supporting staff to become more considerate consumers.

The firm’s Asuncion-based team is advising Heinzel Holding on an investment agreement with Paracel, a Paraguayan company whose purpose is to construct, develop and operate a sustainable greenfield bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp plant in the region of Concepcion, with an approximate production of 1.9 million metric tons of Eucalyptus pulp per year. Valued at $4.4bn, the construction of the plant is considered one of the largest private investments in Paraguay’s history.

The team is also assisting Darling Ingredients, a company that turns food waste into sustainable products, with its $1.2bn acquisition of Gelnex, a company with presence in Brazil and Paraguay operating in the gelatin and collagen industry.

Other highlights include representing a client on a REDD conservation project and on a number of carbon offset projects, as well as another client on an investment linked to a major reforestation project.

Exempliyfing the firm’s internal commitment to sustainability, the Asuncion’s office organised an event regarding emission offsets and the future of the voluntary carbon credit market, and participating in B-Day, an event hosted by Sistema B which brings together companies certified as B-corporations.

Further demonstrating the team’s knowledge surrounding ESG and sustainability, Paraguay-based Veronica Franco recently collaborated with Uruguay-based Sebastian Ramos in a report discussing the regulatory changes brought by ESG.

Uruguay

One of the founding members of the UN Global Compact initiative in Uruguay, leading South-American firm Ferrere has a multidisciplinary environmental law practice which stands out for its work in the renewable energy space.

The firm is at the forefront of the rapidly developing hydrogen market. Notably, it is assisting Enertrag, a German renewable energy company, with the planning and development of the Tambor Green Hydrogen Hub project, which will be implemented in the Department of Tacuarembo, Northern Uruguay, and consists of wind and solar renewable energy plants with a 350 MW capacity.

In the sustainability-linked financing space, the firm was sought by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to structure the Renewable Energy Innovation Fund (REIF) financial trust, which aims to activate large-scale financing for new and emerging renewable energy technologies, ventures, and activities.

Another highlight is the firm’s recent work advising British private equity firm Actis on the sale of Atlas, a platform for the operation and maintenance of renewable energy assets and projects, with 14 projects across Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Uruguay, and a total installed capacity of 2.3 GW.

Outside of client work, the firm’s lawyers are highly engaged in the ESG thought leadership front with key individual Sebastian Ramos, who holds the position of secretary to the board of the UN Global Compact initiative in Uruguay, frequently contributing to articles and interviews discussing ESG, greenwashing, and green finance.

In collaboration with the Universidad Catolica del Uruguay, the firm launched the Ferrere-UCU ESG Centre, which aims to develop research, training, and communication on ESG matters regionally.

For power producer Solarpack, the firm has analysed internal tax regulations, tax treaties, and local regulatory restrictions to secure tax incentives for a 252 MW solar portfolio.  Another key client is Mainstream Renewable Power, whom the firm is advising on its strategy to obtain renewable energy tax incentives for its 100 MW solar project, which will provide clean energy to electricity distributor Air-e.  

Supporting the green transition of local businesses, the firm works in alliance with Empresas Sura to advise companies on how, through leveraging sector-specific tax benefits, they can expand internal sustainability and environmental initiatives. 

The firm also utilises its knowledge of tax incentives to support public- and private-sector clients in navigating emerging green opportunities, with clients here including the Mining and Energy Planning Unit of the Government of Colombia and the USAID fund for renewable energy projects. For the ministry, as well as local associations including the Colombian Association of Renewable Energy, the firm has analysed tax policy proposals concerning the appropriate treatment and incentives to be granted to renewable energy and sustainability initiatives. 

Key contact Oscar Iván González serves as director of the Tax Research Center at the Colombian Institute of Tax Law, where he is currently analysing tax benefits related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and environmental initiatives. González was also named key speaker for the Colombian Tax Congress in 2022, where he discussed Colombia’s carbon tax structure, its relationship with international frameworks, and proposals to improve the tax benefits provided for sustainability projects. 

Energy industry experts Felipe Frühling and Clemente Pérez advised Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) on its due diligence for one of the largest green hydrogen projects in Chile consisting of a 1700 MW wind park, electrolyser, port, desalination plant and an ammonia plant, and the team continues to support the project’s development. Pérez is also assisting Climatech, an environmental and climate change association, with regard to operational matters as well as hosting workshops on environmental and climate-related challenges facing clients from a range of industries.

The firm is involved in important environmental protection work, including assisting Fundación San Carlos de Maipo with its initiative to establish an environmentally protected wetlands area near Santiago. Clients, such as bulk port operator Puerto Ventanas, benefit from the firm’s extensive knowledge of the potential impacts of the Escazú Agreement. The team has produced detailed legal reports on the topic.

The firm’s ‘Guerrero Olivos Sustentable’ programme aims to foster, develop, and facilitate participation in social initiatives with a sustainable focus. Between 2017 and 2022, the team planted more than 900 trees and flowers in the Metropolitan Park in Santiago.

The firm provided free legal assistance to Fundación Providence, which advocates for environmental justice and promotes social participation in the sustainable development of the Seaflower biosphere reserve, regarding the foundation’s legal resilience, consequentially reassuring and maintaining the impact of vital biodiversity projects. 

Pursuing the Colombian government’s goal of protecting 30% of national land and oceans by 2030, Lina Uribe García advised the main donors, led by the WWF and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, on the delivery of the $245m Herencia Colombia project. For the project, which will fund the conservation of Colombia’s terrestrial and maritime protected areas, the firm has assisted across financing, environmental due diligence, and government relations. 

Supporting the decarbonisation of Colombia’s energy mix, the firm also led the transaction whereby EDP Renováveis acquired the sole owner and developer of the 200 MW El Copey solar park. Within the matter, energy practice head Patricia Arrázola Bustillo provided regulatory, corporate structuring, and transactional advice. 

In an ongoing matter, Lina Correa Posada is working with consultancy IDOM to provide the Inter-American Development Bank and Colombian government a strategy to sustainably manage the electric and electronic waste generated by solar projects and electric vehicles. The project will interpret international best practices to faciltiate the sustainable management of Colombia’s increasing electric resources, ensuring end-of-life liability and sustainability factor into future regulations. 

Committed to managing its environmental footprint, the firm donates its recyclable material to a non-profit organisation, while also raising awareness among its staff through conducting campaigns on energy, water, and paper consumption. The firm is a member of law-firm alliance Affinitas, for whom Arrázola Bustillo recently moderated a panel analysing how ESG can become a competitive advantage for Latin American companies. 

The energy practice has been involved in some of the largest PV projects in the country, including advising Prodiel regarding the completion of construction of the Pimienta Project, the second-largest operating solar farm in Mexico with an installed capacity of 300 MW.

The firm is regularly engaged with Mexican authorities to review regulations. Of particular significance is the firm’s continued pro-bono support led by managing partner Luis Miguel Ramírez and Eloisa Alejandre to Secretaría de Desarrollo Sustentable del Estado de Morelos in drafting the rules for the first Ecozone on the continent (Ecozona del Centro Histórico de Cuernavaca), involving the implementation of clean public transportation; solar energy rooftop projects; sustainable reforestation in downtown Cuernavaca; carbon capture projects; and a carbon credits framework. The firm conducted a legal study of the state environmental regulations and drafted a new management programme. It also forms part of the first Citizen Council for the Ecozone.

The firm is also supporting Veolia, EHV and local governments in connection with Veolia’s pioneering circular economy project with EHV, which involves the transformation of hundreds of old cars into electric vehicles, and the use of organic waste to generate energy for said vehicles.

The environmental team, including Luis Enrique Rangel, is providing advice to the start-up Widu regarding the structuring of an environmental footprint calculator app which includes activities to compensate for the personal impact of daily activities.

The firm is a founding member and current secretary of the Sustainability Committee of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, and a founding partner of the Legal ESG Group of the British Chamber of Commerce. Its philanthropic arm ‘The LHO Global Foundation’ devotes significant resources to initiatives facilitating positive change with regard to ESG. For example, it co-sponsors and grants scholarships to small companies to take part in sustainability courses.

In an ongoing highlight, Gomes and Dante have been acting for Vivo on the structuring of its Distributed Power Generation Project, considered one of the largest in the country. In the first phase of the project, hydropower plants will be installed to supply around 5% of the company’s energy demands; the next stages aim to apply hydro and solar power plants to supply the company’s remaining demand.

Notably, Mota and others have been advising The Nature Conservancy, a global initiative dedicated to environmental conservation, on a range of pro bono matters, such as the structuring and implementation of a project for the payment of conservation practices by small rural properties. Mota has also been assisting an international company with issues relating to environmental compliance in connection with renewable energy projects in Brazil.

The team’s expertise is also evident in its external engagements: Mota is president of the Environmental Law Committee at the Centre for the Study of Law Firms; Gomes is president of the Brazilian Institute of Energy Law; and Dante is president of the Brazilian Institute for the Study of Energy Law.

Internally, the firm’s sustainability efforts include the collection of all electronic waste generated in the office and donation of recyclable and reusable materials such as office supplies, among other measures and initiatives.

In a sustainable finance highlight, the firm assisted Banco Internacional del Ecuador with one of the first blue bonds issuances in the region, valued at $79m, which will contribute to water conservation through the financing of clean commercial and productive operations, adhering to the ICM Green Bond Principles and IFC’s Blue Finance Guidelines.

The firm also recently collaborated with the Ministry of Environment in the creation of one of the first technical compensation regulation implemented in the Ecuadorian Cero Carbon Program PECC, the enactment of which will promote the financing of projects dedicated to mitigation against climate change.

In another standout matter, the firm has been assisting Grupo Futuro with the creation of its Zero Carbon Project, which aims to offset the carbon emissions of the companies participating in the project in remnants of forests in the Andean Choco of Pichincha and other areas of conservation. Advice includes the innovation of the compensation mechanism using blockchain technology that allows greater traceability, transparency and trust.

The firm has also been giving tax advice in connection with the Normandia hydro project, which harnesses the waters of the Upano River to generate 49.6 MW of clean, renewable energy.

On a pro bono basis, the firm is providing legal counsel to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature – Ecuador (WWF).

A key solar sector client is PV project developer Powertis. The firm assisted in due diligence, transaction structuring, and the negotiation of the share purchase agreement for the client’s acquisition of a 65% stake in the owner of the Manglares solar park. The firm then prepared the project’s successful bid in the Colombian government’s third renewable energy auction, before negotiating the fifteen-year PPA required to commence development. 

Supporting the adoption of renewable self-generation projects, which help decarbonise industrial clients while minimising the stress on the local electricity grid, the firm advised Powertis on the acquisition of the 19.99 MW Noria Carcolito solar park and the amendment of its PPA with Cemex Colombia. 

Also assisting with the decarbonisation of Bogotá’s public transport system and the reduction of urban greenhouse gas emissions, the firm acted as legal counsel to lenders Proparco and FDN, performing legal due diligence regarding the clients’ $130m financing of Greenmovil’s acquisition of a 406-electric bus fleet. 

Founding partner Mateo Mendoza leads the firm’s client work while also contributing significantly to the industry discussion on the energy transition. Mendoza participated in the Latam Future Energy and Energyear conferences, which discussed how tax structuring opportunities and innovative investment strategies can boost the desirability of renewable energy projects among conventional energy-sector companies. 

Internally, the firm has adapted its activities to reduce its environmental impact. Alongside developing a broader ESG policy to help focus its decarbonisation path, the firm has introduced energy and water saving facilities while encouraging a new recycling policy.

In the solar power sector, head of energy and projects Ramon Varela advised Spanish energy company Avanzalia on the development of the 125 MW Penonomé II PV plant, among the largest photovoltaic plants in Central America. Another international client is Thesan USA, whom the firm represents on regulatory, contractual, environmental, and tax matters concerning the 8.5 MW El Espinal solar project. 

Reflecting the energy practice’s extensive experience advising developers and lenders on their renewable projects, the firm also assisted Ecosolares in the development, financing, and operation of their 50 MW solar plant.

In an ongoing matter, the firm is advising the IFC on Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica’s bid to design, procure, construct, operate, and maintain the fourth electricity transmission line in Panama. The $500m project is vital to the scaling-up of Panama’s electricity infrastructure and will help facilitate the local energy transition. 

In the pro bono space, the firm assisted Marea Verde with the implementation of its Wanda system, which uses solar-powered hydraulic technology to collect and remove solid waste from rivers.

Ana Carolina Castillo, another key contact in renewable electricity mandates, keenly contributes to thought leadership, having moderated the Renpower Central America & the Caribbean conference panel on the financing of the energy transition. 

Toward realising an ESG strategy aligned with the climate action and responsible consumption UNSDGs, the firm’s LEED Gold-certified offices feature a comprehensive waste management and recycling system, water capture facilities, and solar power self-generation. Additionally, the firm’s staff regularly engage in volunteering activities including reforestations and beach cleanups. 

In 2020, the World Economic Forum requested that the firm lead efforts in establishing Chapter Zero Mexico as a local chapter of the Climate Governance Initiative. The firm formed and chaired the steering committee to develop the initiative and continues to provide legal support for Chapter Zero Mexico on strategies for promoting climate governance in the country. Yves Hayaux du Tilly, who previously worked on Chapter Zero UK, played a strategic role in the Mexican launch. The firm also drafted the Spanish version of the Principles on Climate Governance.

In 2022, the firm collaborated with Chapter Zero Mexico and AGADE Business School to set up the first executive programme for directors of companies in Latin America regarding the implementation of the principles of climate governance in boards of directors. The firm leverages its expertise to assist various clients including BBVA and Capgemini with the development of compliance and climate governance strategies.

A team consisting of Hayaux du Tilly and Ana Paula Telleria is currently advising Parque Natural La Cañada in structuring a BioCredit scheme to fund a 100-hectare forest conservation project in Mexico City for Grupo FRISA.

Alejandro Rojas represented the Water Operator Agency of Los Cabos Municipality with regard to a PPP international bidding process for the development, operation, and maintenance of a desalination plant in compliance with the IFC’s ESG standards. This will both contribute to solving water shortages in the municipality and improve efficiency levels. The project uses reverse osmosis technology, which emits 6.5 times less greenhouse gas emissions than traditional desalination procedures.

Boosting the energy transition while helping meet local environmental challenges, the firm is representing Streamline Integrated Energy in obtaining a PPA for its innovative municipal solid waste revalorisation plant. The firm assisted in designing and implementing the structure for the 55 MW generation project, alongside advising on the construction concession and environmental licenses. Within the renewable energy sector, the firm is also experienced handling transactions for wind and solar power projects.

In an ongoing matter, the firm is assisting the Park Adventure Group in the building and operation of the Korala sustainable resort, which will emphasise circular economy principles in material usage. The firm provides expertise in environmental law, performing due diligence, navigating environmental regulations and audits, advising on sustainable best practices, and consulting relevant ministries and environmental experts on the project’s footprint. 

The firm is implementing a broad ESG policy, having committed to environmental initiatives across responsible consumption, circular economy, and climate action. At the office-level, the firm has moved into LEED-certified premises; created a sustainable procurement policy that focuses on greener paper suppliers while replacing single-use plastics with renewable plastics; established guidance on paperless operations; and created a decarbonisation process and database to monitor, quantify, and verify its internal greenhouse gas emissions.

The firm contributes keenly to relevant thought leadership, publishing discussions on green bonds, waste management, and the expansion of the Dominican electricity sector. Further supporting local sustainability and social development efforts, Emily Sucart sits on the board at the Dominican Republic’s Women in Renewable Energy association. 

Post-publication, in January 2024, Michelle Abreu, former director of the energy and infrastructure department, left to found her own firm Studio Abreu Vargas | SAV Advisors.

The firm is advising Productora H2 Bolivia on all aspects of the development of the Pacha Kanchay Project, valued at $2bn, involving the construction of a green ammonia plant in the Department of Oruro, which will produce and export hydrogen and around 0.4 MTPA of green ammonia per year, and is powered by a 2GW solar power plant. Any water produced in excess of that required by the project will be made available to the local communities.

Lindsey Sykes and others assisted Agence Française de Développement with a €200m financing to the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the funds of which will be used towards the implementation and advancement of Bolivia’s Economic and Social Development Plan, aiming to consolidate the energy transition to renewable and alternative energy sources, and implement an integral forest and protected reserves management strategy, among other things.

Via its pro bono executive committee, the firm actively seeks work such as aiding the NGO Planet Patrol with conducting research regarding Bolivian law granting special protection to rivers, lakes, and ecosystems. In another pro bono matter, the firm advised B Lab, the company responsible for certifying B Corporations, on a range of legal matters.

The firm also recently supported the American Chamber of Commerce of Bolivia with hosting a networking event for state ambassadors, including those of Japan, France, Colombia, and the United States, to discuss initiatives for addressing climate change in the region.

In an ongoing highlight, Chavarry is assisting Hidroelectrico Rio Huamuco with the evaluation procedure of a hydroelectric project before the National Environmental Certification Service for Sustainable Investments. The project consists of the building, operating, and maintaining of two hydroelectric plants with a combined capacity of around 321.5 MW.

Chavarry has also recently led the team in advising Bosques Amazonicos, a company which aims to conserve the Amazonian rainforest and contribute to Peru’s ESG market through the sale of carbon bonds, on obtaining the Environmental Declaration of Ongoing Activities, a novel environmental study approved in Peru for the management of tropical rainforests.

Chavarry has over 16 years of experience in environmental law and has published several thought leadership articles, such as a recent discussion of socio-economic issues in mining. She also acted as the advisory council for the environmental law team of the Pontifica Universidad Catolica del Peru from 2021 to 2023.

Externally, the firm is involved a number of projects which seek to inform clients and legal professionals on sustainability-related matters in the region. For example, it recently worked with the Climate Bonds Initiative on a report identifying green and sustainable investment opportunities in Peru. The firm collaborated with the same initiative in conducting a training workshop for its clients on the implications of green bonds in the region. Additionally, the firm’s environmental team recently launched a summer legal programme for law students across Peru named ‘Escuela Verde’ (Green School), which aims to raise awareness around environmental law issues, including biodiversity and environmental crimes matters.

Neto and others are assisting a number of leading companies, including Microsoft, Gerdau, and Multiplan, with the creation and development of their ESG policies. In an ongoing highlight, Neto is advising Radicle on the development of several carbon credits and sustainability projects in Brazil.

In the sustainable finance space, a multidisciplinary team recently advised leading financial institutions including UBS Brasil Corretora de Cambio and Titulos e Valores Mobiliarios on the issuance of Agribusiness Receivables Certificates with green characteristics (CRA) worth around R$2bn. The proceeds of the green bonds that backed the CRA were used to finance renewable energy and energy efficient projects and assets.

On a pro bono basis, the firm has assisted the Centre for Climate Crime Analysis, an NGO founded by prosecutors and investigators designed to support and scale up climate action worldwide, with a range of legal matters such as the development of its activities in Brazil.

Internally, the Sustainable PNA project aims to establish environmental sustainability as one of the firm’s key goals through awareness campaigns and eco-friendly initiatives. The firm’s longstanding commitment to sustainability is evidenced in its achievement of carbon neutrality in 2007 through the management and compensation of GHG emissions via the restoration of native forests, having restored over 80 hectares of land, something which has been recognised by the São Paulo Climate Protocol at COP21.

Key contact Patricia Sampaio, who has a key focus on energy law and is a member of the Special Commission on Electric Energy of the Brazilian Bar Association of Rio de Janeiro, recently led the firm’s public law team in advising Instituto Clima e Sociedade, a non-profit organisation which aims to provide solutions to the climate crisis, on the legal implications of promoting electric mobility and transitioning to battery electric bus fleets. Sampaio also recently assisted a client in the sustainable packaging space with several ESG matters, including the development of a number of renewable energy projects and a major recycling plant.

A further example of the firm’s ESG-related work is a study carried out by the environmental team to develop a legal strategy for an environmentally adequate destination for product waste to be included in the Brazilian market in the future. Notably, the firm has also been working on the study and analysis of companies’ compliance with solid waste legislation across all Brazilian states.

Internally, the firm is in the process of establishing its sustainability policy, which outlines concrete action for environmental protection.

Founding partner and head of the firm’s environmental and regulatory practice Romina Santroni is a key contact. She uses her expertise as a sustainability specialist to lead on client work pursuing green development and ecological concern within the tourism industry. Alongside being a government-approved environmental consultant and ISO 14001 auditor, Santroni led the academic process drafting a proposed law on waste as director of the ECORED association, which promotes sustainability among local businesses. 

For Moon Palace Resorts, a $600m resort and real estate project, Santroni and Guily Shemer led on environmental impact assessments and the conscious management of environmentally sensitive areas, ensuring the mangrove forest becomes an essential component of the resort and its touristic appeal. The firm is also acting as environmental legal and regulatory consultant for Amanera Resort’s Playa Grande project, providing advice on sustainability strategies and environmental compliance and permitting. 

Another area of expertise is renewable energy, with the firm providing environmental compliance and regulatory advice for WCG Energy’s Mata de Palma solar project; the 120 MW project is vital for expanding and decarbonising the Dominican energy mix, providing clean energy for 80,000 residents.

In becoming carbon neutral, as certified by TUV Rheinland, the firm introduced a sustainable procurement policy, banned single-use plastics, acquired energy-efficient equipment, and shifted to all-electric mobility. 

For the Work With Nature foundation, which conserves and protects Costa Rican rainforests, the firm assisted with issuing and implementing a report redesigning the client’s corporate structure and navigating the long-term legal protection of the client’s 250-hectare research and reforestation reserve. Following this engagement, the firm provides day-to-day advice for the client’s operations, and research, educational, and community outreach projects. 

Another key client is environmental NGO Tropical Science Center, which seeks to reassure a harmonious relationship between local people and Costa Rica’s physical and biological resources. The firm has advised the client on modernising its governance, human rights, and sustainability frameworks. 

Fernanda Jiménez, director of the firm’s environmental law department, participated as a member of the International Council of Environmental Law to negotiate a new international treaty to protect marine biodiversity at the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. Jiménez also led the team in developing a proposal for the National System of Protected Areas of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, advising and briefing the government and development agencies on the legal viability and implications of financial mechanisms which could fund the protection and regeneration of ecosystems. 

Alongside developing a recycling and waste-management programme and a sustainable purchases initiative, the firm boosts local sustainability through community engagement, providing pro bono advice for business owners in the coastal Nosara region on funding community conservation initiatives. 

The firm also actively participates in sustainability-focused organisations such as the Sustainability Commission of the Costa Rican Chamber of Industry, the Sustainability and Social Responsibility Commission from Holland House in Costa Rica, and the Hydrogen Commission of the German-Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce. 

The team led by Edmond Grieger and Roberto Flores provides legal counsel to UBER and Corner Shop on environmental and regulatory issues, including advice on sustainable mobility regulation.

In the renewables space, Grieger leads the advice to sustainable energy solutions provider Invenergy LLC regarding the necessary environmental and social authorisations and permits for the development, construction, and operation of the client’s multiple solar, wind, and cogeneration projects throughout Mexico.

The firm is also the primary advisor for the BMW Group in Mexico regarding environmental compliance with national and international environmental standards. The team including Grieger and Ariel Garfio is also assisting BMW with the development of a PV power plant for its new electric car production facility.

The firm’s committment to sustainability and environmental stewardship is evident in its participation in the UN’s SME Climate Hub and Race to Zero initiatives. Internally, it has placed a particular focus on sustainable water and electricity management as a means of reducing its footprint. The firm’s pro bono committee supports several not-for-profit associations with an ESG focus, including Amigos de Sian KA’AN A.C., a civil society organisation dedicated to preserving ecosystems and promoting sustainable development in the Yucatan Peninsula. 

In what is considered one of the first major policies in the country directly addressing climate change, Fernandez and Vouga are cooperating with the public authorities on the drafting of new national regulation aimed at reducing carbon emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals.

In a significant matter in the forestry space, the duo is assisting a client with the legal structuring needed to receive foreign financing for obtaining future carbon credits arising from the forestation and conservation of native forest reserves in Paraguay. Together they have also continued to support Paracel with a range of legal matters, including the preparation and filing of several forestry permit applications for the forestation of lands totalling nearly 100,000 hectares in different parts of the Oriental Region of the country.

In another ongoing highlight, Fernandez is acting for Paresa, a Coca-Cola licensee, in setting up a joint venture consisting of a new factory to recycle plastic for PET bottles.

On a pro bono basis, the firm is also providing legal advice to Sistema B Paraguay, the NGO fostering and certifying B Corps in the country.

The team often publishes thought leadership pieces relating to sustainability, such as a recent article by Fernandez about new regulations on offences and sanctions in forestry .